# YouTube API: Posting Reference

YouTube support is limited to YouTube Shorts. OmniSocials does not publish regular long-form videos through the API. The YouTube channel must be monetization-eligible to publish via the YouTube Data API.

**Channel ID:** `youtube`

## Supported content types

| Type | Supported | Notes |
|------|-----------|-------|
| Feed post | - | Not supported |
| Story | - | Not supported |
| Reel (Short) | ✅ | Vertical video, up to 3 minutes |

## Minimal example

YouTube posts must be `type: "reel"` and must include a single vertical video.

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.omnisocials.com/v1/posts/create \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OMNISOCIALS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "reel",
    "content": { "default": "Behind the scenes #shorts" },
    "accounts": ["your-youtube-account-id"],
    "media_urls": ["https://example.com/short.mp4"],
    "youtube": {
      "title": "Behind the scenes",
      "privacy_status": "public"
    }
  }'
```

## Platform-specific options

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `youtube.title` | string | Video title, max 100 characters. When omitted, the first line of the caption is used (cut at a word to 100 characters); `"YouTube Short"` only when there is no caption either. |
| `youtube.tags` | array of strings | Tags for discovery. Max 500 characters total across all tags. |
| `youtube.privacy_status` | string | `public`, `private`, or `unlisted`. Defaults to `public`. |
| `youtube.category_id` | string | YouTube category ID. Defaults to `"22"` (People & Blogs). |
| `youtube.made_for_kids` | boolean | Mark as made-for-kids content under COPPA. Defaults to `false`. |
| `youtube.notify_subscribers` | boolean | Send subscription notification when published. Defaults to `false`. |
| `youtube.contains_synthetic_media` | boolean | Disclose that the video contains AI-generated content. Defaults to `false`. |
| `youtube.first_comment` | string | Text auto-posted as the first comment on the video right after it publishes (max 10000 characters). The video must have comments enabled. |

## Media requirements

| Requirement | Value |
|-------------|-------|
| Format | MP4 |
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 (vertical) |
| Duration | Up to 3 minutes |
| File size | Up to 1 GB (OmniSocials upload ceiling; YouTube itself allows far larger) |
| Resolution | 1080 × 1920 recommended |

Videos outside these constraints are rejected. There is no conversion or trimming step.

## Limitations

- Only Shorts are supported. Regular long-form uploads require the YouTube Upload API and OAuth scopes that OmniSocials does not request.
- YouTube's API enforces a daily quota. Heavy publishing workloads may exceed quota during traffic spikes and return `429` with a `quotaExceeded` code.
- A custom thumbnail (`video_cover`) shows on Shorts only on channels where YouTube has enabled custom Shorts thumbnails (rolling out since July 2026, YouTube Partner Program channels first). On other channels YouTube stores it but displays a frame from the video on the Shorts tab and in the Shorts feed.
- `made_for_kids: true` disables most interaction features (comments, community tab, end screens) on the resulting Short.